My last Sunday...

I woke up this morning and was immediately aware that this was my last Sunday morning here in this house.
I was aware of the beautiful day arriving, the sunshine fingering its way to the ground through the left over rain clouds, the Lack of wind, and the sound of people playing softball at the neighboring park.
It is shaping up to be a perfect day.
I will miss this place. It has been home for nearly 13 years. I didn't much like this town when I first moved here. We came in winter and it was bitterly cold, windy, and dreary... for months on end. But I adaped and with time have grown to love it. At least I love six months out of the year. The other six I tolerate.
I am looking forward to going to Mass this morning. I love the way we celebrate Eucharist here. The feeling of community is strong and I feel very connected to the people here. They have become my family. Leaving them is one of the most difficult things I have had to do. However, I have grown and learned so much and I know it is time for me to move on, time to go to some place new and see what there is for me to learn there. And it is also tiime for me to go and share what I have learned.
Interestingly enough it has been roughly nine months since I first knew we were to be leaving this home and moving to a new one. And I have found this transition period to much like the gestation period of waiting for a new baby. I am ready to 'give birth' to this new life. I am still nervous, scared, fearful, but also anxious, excited and just ready!
So here in a few minutes I will awaken the gang and we will go and celebrate liturgy as best we can and then come home and pack.
Next Sunday.... only God knows what is in store for us. It's a new adventure!

Inspirations

Inspirations come from many different sources for me.
Most recently they have come from my friends.
I try to pay attention to inspirations and act on them, but I have to admit lately I have not been very good at the action part. So I am left with all these thoughts, Ideas, prayers, and wonderings rolling around in my head. And if I am to be honest, all the extra 'inspirations' rolling around in my head are probably preventing me from being efficient at work and at home.
I am distracted.
So If I am to be more efficient as we prepare to move half way across the United States next week, then I need to clear my head a bit.
I have been inspired this past week by so many but need to focus on a few specific indidviduals, Jim, Deb, Miechelle and Jack.
In a two day span each of you have had conversations with me about being Blessed.
Jim - in your direct no-nonsense way of helping me see things differently,
Deb - by your thoughfulness and telling me about a book you are reading (I think it is called, Live as if You Were Blessed),
Miechelle - walking into a Wal Greens, seeing a t-shirt with blessed spelled out across the front and buying it for me, and
Jack - sharing in your blog list of all the recent blessings in your life.
All these incidents taken one at a time were meaningful to me, but when occuring all together within a couple of days they have inspired me.
I feel inspired to remain open instead of shutting myself off in an effort to get the work done.
I feel inspired to take time for myself and to write as I face all the changes ahead.
And I feel inspired to approach this time of transition from the perspective of a free spirit instead of a caged one.
So I thank you my friends for inspiring me, lifting me up, supporting me, and loving me.